The invention concerns an electrical hand tool device comprising a control electronics and a transmitting/receiving means which is responsive in a wireless and contact-free fashion, and a storage means in which an authorization code is stored, wherein an operation locking state and an operation release state can be differentiated, and with an external transmitting/receiving means which is disposed in a separate portable device. The above-mentioned differentiation between an operation locking state and an operation release state prevents unauthorized use by putting the device into a locking state in which the electrical hand tool device can no longer be operated. The electrical hand tool device is thereby protected against theft, since there is little to be gained thereby.
DE 100 29 138 A1 discloses an electrical hand tool device of this type. This device is designed such that its control electronics always tries to assume an operation locking state in which the device cannot be operated. If a user wants to operate the device, he/she requires an external transmitting/receiving means which may comprise a transponder. The internal transmitting/receiving means of the device tries to communicate discontinuously with such an external transmitting/receiving means. The control electronics switches the device into the operation release state only when the user has such a transmitting/receiving means, and, in response to the request signal, a correspondingly encoded response signal is transmitted which is received by the internal transmitting/receiving means of the device. Subsequently, the internal transmitting/receiving means communicates repeatedly, however, discontinuously, with the external transmitting/receiving means and the electrical hand tool device remains operative only for the duration of this communication and verification that the user has authorization. I.e. a permanent, however, discontinuous communication operation is required to maintain the operativeness of the device.
A further electrical hand tool device of a different type comprising a theft protection means is described in DE 100 29 132 A1. This electrical hand tool device comprises a telecommunication receiver, i.e. merely a receiving means which cooperates with control electronics of the hand tool device. If it is removed without authorization, the authorized user can activate an operation locking state through transmission of an operation locking signal via the telecommunication network to the telecommunication receiver of the hand tool device and the control electronics. Only the authorized user knows the telecommunication number required therefor. The telecommunication receiver of the electrical hand tool device causes difficulties and substantial expense. Moreover, a telecommunication connection is required to be able to address the device. In addition, transmission of information to the external telecommunication transmitter is not possible.
DE 44 29 206 C2 discloses an electrical hand tool device which automatically switches into an operation locking state when the electrical power is interrupted, i.e. when the battery is removed or the mains plug is removed or after a predetermined time interval. The device switches into the operation release state only upon receipt of a corresponding code signal. Permanent locking or release of the device is not possible.
It is the underlying purpose of the present invention to improve an electrical hand tool device of this type to prevent theft of the device in a simple but nevertheless effective fashion.